


Happy Ending

by orphan_account



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Stickvin, Valiant Hero Ending | VC (Henry Stickmin), charles doesn't actually die, yes i was crying while writing this what about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26161243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Hey, Charles.”Silence greeted Henry in return as he walked through the grass.
Relationships: Charles Calvin/Henry Stickmin
Comments: 16
Kudos: 448





	Happy Ending

**Author's Note:**

> first stickmin fic yall, dont expect much. Also i was listening to Mr Loverman by Ricky Montgomery while writing this :]

“Hey, Charles.”

Silence greeted Henry in return as he walked through the grass.

His voice was strained, hoarse from both refusing to use it normally and refusing water back at the camp. He’d needed to get here as quickly as possible, and he was sure that the general hadn’t fully been able to understand his signed explanation with how half-hearted it’d been, but he didn’t care. The general knew where he was going anyway. He’d been coming here every other day since the incident.

“I know I missed coming here yesterday- sorry about that,” he continued, standing still and staring at the ground, trying desperately to hold onto a small smile, “we were out on a mission, and I needed the money- I’ve been trying to throw something together for you with some extra cash, actually.”

He huffed out a little laugh, removing his hands from where they’d been behind him to reveal an arrangement of red and white flowers, held together with a chain that had a tiny headphone-shaped charm attached.

“It’s not much, but it’s the least I could do after all that you’ve done,” he said quietly, placing the bouquet down on the ground, “personally I think you deserve much more than that, but… well, I’m still a little short on money. I’m gonna keep getting you stuff, though.”

He was quiet for a moment, simply listening to the near-silence of the vast field and the breeze flowing by and deciding to sit down, sniffling a bit.

“Hope you don’t mind me staying here for a bit.”

… 

“Not sure if you already know, but they held a big ceremony for you right before we left on the mission. I wanted to give a speech, tell them all about everything you did, but… I couldn’t actually make myself say anything.”

He laughed a little, tears starting to prick at the backs of his eyes as his voice cracked.

“It’s- kinda pathetic, y’know? I can’t- I can’t even say anything when it matters- when I’m supposed to be saying  _ goodbye _ .”

Tears flowed freely down his cheeks now, his voice managing to sound even worse as small sobs shook him.

“I can’t even- say that  _ now _ , Charles-” he let out a broken huff of a laugh, “I don’t  _ want _ to say goodbye to you.”

The admission stung, bad, and Henry had spoken it so quietly that he could hardly even hear himself. He sniffed again, reaching up with his now free hands to wipe at his eyes before changing the subject. He may have still been alone, but he still didn’t want to discuss his grief with the wind.

“Anyway- the general paired me up with another pilot since you left,” he went on, still weakly smiling, “I haven’t really said anything to him yet. His name’s Jerry- he said he knew you? He’s been in the force for a while, I think.”

He paused for a moment, face falling ever so slightly.

“I think… I think the general can tell our teamwork isn’t as good as it was with me and you together. Jerry says I think too much, and that my plans are too silly. And- I guess he’s right, kinda.” He laughed again. “But hey, silly plans have always gotten me through things. I dunno.”

Another beat of silence. Wind. Nothing. Then another laugh.

“Man- I’m pretty sure this is the most I’ve ever said to you, and you’re not even-” he cut himself up with a cross between a laugh and a sob, “but- I guess losing the love of your life can do that to you.”

He laughed and cried more, crumbling and caving in on himself. “Who knew, right? I- Charles, I’m-”

He was full-on crying now, completely giving up on trying to smile or laugh and just speaking through sobs and cries.

“I’m so  _ sorry _ , Charles- I wish- I wish there was something I could’ve done to change what happened, but- f-for once in my life, there was nothing for me to do,” his voice strained and broke more, further ruined the more he cried, “and it’s- it  _ sucks _ \- my whole life, I’ve been able to choose how things turn out, but the one time I can’t, it’s-”

He couldn’t bring himself to say much else, completely breaking down and clawing at the dirt beneath him as he sobbed and cried pathetically. He was mumbling to himself, his breath shaky and uneven as he attempted time and time again to do  _ something _ to calm himself.

Nothing worked. Of course nothing worked.

“...Henry?”

He spun around, vision still blurry and his head fuzzy from crying so much. That voice- no, it couldn’t- it  _ was _ .

“ _ Charles _ ?”

The other man was standing, looking down at Henry a little awkwardly. “Hey,” he said, giving a small wave and offering a tiny half-smile.

“How- how’re you-”

Charles sat down in front of Henry, chuckling a little to himself. “It’s- crazy, I know. I thought I was done for when that explosion hit,” he said, “but- I managed to get into the last escape pod right before it left. Was still close to the ship, and my headphones broke, but- but I lived! Contrary to… popular belief.”

Henry simply stared, barely processing anything that was happening and just taking in every bit of Charles that he could. The green sweater that he always wore over his white polo was a little roughed up, as were his blue jeans, but he was largely intact, standing there right in front of him.

A small laugh from the other broke Henry out of his trance, bringing his attention back to Charles’ voice. “Sorry- for worrying you, and everyone else,” he said, looking away for a moment, “if I could’ve told you I was okay, I would’ve- promise.”

Henry gave a little smile, a sob escaping him- shit, he was still crying. “It’s-” he took a shaky breath, steadying himself to talk, “it’s okay, you’re- you’re here  _ now _ .”

There was a beat of silence- when had Charles started crying too? That didn’t matter- Henry’s mind was still foggy.

Wait… 

“Uh- how much of that did you… hear?” he asked quietly, picking at the sleeves on his black sweater. It had just occurred to him that Charles had to have been standing there for at least a little bit, and his face was flushing both from the crying and from the little admissions that had been sprinkled into his blabbering.

Charles was quiet for a moment, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. “I heard… enough,” he finally answered, huffing a small laugh and biting his lip a bit before continuing, “I- love of your life, huh?”

Henry flushed more, laughing a little out of embarrassment. “I- Charles I’m- sorry,” he stammered, giggling a little bit.

“No- nothing to apologize for, man, especially considering it’s-” there was a small pause, as if Charles was psyching himself up, “it’s mutual, just- just so you know.”

It took a solid 20 seconds for Henry to run that through his mind, and even then he was sure he’d heard something wrong. “Oh,” he replied dumbly, flushing a deep red as Charles giggled and got closer.

“Yeah- so, if you wanna- I mean, I know this is a lot, and kinda sudden, but if you wanna- I dunno, make things official…” Henry could do nothing but nod at the suggestion.

He wasn’t sure how long they’d spent in that field, and he wasn’t exactly sure when Charles had rested his head on his shoulder. He wasn’t even sure if he got enough of kissing him, long forgotten tears drying, before they decided to go back to camp. All Henry really knew was that Charles would be forever recognized as a hero.

_ His _ hero.


End file.
